372 MISCELLANEOUS 



Another reason is that the Americans are very free-handed in their 

 dealings with the men, and sometimes spontaneously raise the price 

 to be given per barrel without any demand from the men at all, thus 

 keeping up a wholesome spirit of competition against each other, and 

 against rival buyers, which is all to the pecuniary advantage of the 

 local fishermen. 



Finally, the Americans are credited with feeding their men better. 



These are all reasons which have been given me by fishermen them- 

 selves. 



Now, looking at it particularly from the point of view of the 

 American fishermen. 



As matters stand he has Treaty Rights over which disputes fre- 

 quently arise, causing him trouble and anxiety about the success of 

 his voyage. 



In fitting out for the winter season he has three alternatives: he 

 may (1) ship a full American crew in Gloucester; (2) ship a New- 

 foundland fishing crew on the mainland; (3) ship Newfoundlanders 

 outside the three-mile limit. 



If he ships an American fishing crew in Gloucester, and fishes with- 

 out any Newfoundland men, he may get along all right, but the cost 

 is very heavy, and the men are not so expert in the use of gill nets as 

 the Newfoundlanders. 



If he ships Newfoundland men in Gloucester or Sydney, the cost 

 of getting them there has to be considered as well as the difficulty of 

 the transport of the necessary boats, &c., in addition to the other 

 incidental expenses. 



If he ships Newfoundlanders outside the three-mile limit, to avoid 

 this expense and difficulty, he causes annoyance to the Colonial Gov- 

 ernment, and a great deal of trouble to himself. 



One would think that he would, on the whole, prefer to buy herring 

 direct from the Newfoundland men, as he used to do, and as he would 

 be able to do again under the Bond-Hay Convention, because it prob- 

 ably costs him more to obtain the herring by hired labour than it 

 would to buy them. 



For example, an outfit of nets costs quite $1,200; besides this he 

 has to keep and pay from 30 to 40 men at a minimum rate per barrel 

 of $1.25 ; so that for a full fare of 2,000 barrels he has to disperse a 

 good round sum, roughly $2,500. Now, supposing he gets $4.25 per 

 barrel (a normal price) from the smoker at Gloucester, i. e., $8,500 

 for the cargo, he ought to make it pay well, but it would pay him just 

 as well, and better, if he bought his herring direct from Newfound- 

 landers, because he would, at any rate, save himself the value of the 

 nets. 



Consequently, a settlement on the lines of the Bond-Hay Conven- 

 tion would seem to me to be to the advantage of the American 

 fishermen. 



As to the Newfoundland fisherman, he would welcome any settle- 

 ment which would enable him to earn his livelihood in peace and 

 quietness, without the risk of going outside the three-mile limit in 

 a frail dory, or the fear of being punished for law breaking if he 

 adopts the method of making his living which he thinks to be the 

 most advantageous. 



In addition to this there is the Canadian standpoint. 



